Moving Column

While I always enjoy Mike Lawler’s “Treasures of the Valley,” this past week’s was particularly poignant. The dedication and sacrifice of POW McSwain and the post-return connection with an Oregon girl later in life, their friendship and her care, brought tears. 

What an amazing story.

Tom Lusby
La Crescenta

Sharing Final Thoughts

It has been my pleasure serving our community for the past seven years as a CVTC Council member and as chair of its Streets and Transportation Committee. Although the Council is a private organization, it serves as a public advisory role to the community and local government agencies.

During my time on Council, we achieved many capital improvements, such as installing bike lanes, landscaping medians, overseeing a bus stop survey, upgrading street and intersection crosswalks at local schools and fixing potholes that were long-standing common issues. We also worked to plan future projects to accommodate our community’s growth and quality of life. Examples of these projects include expanding the Class II bike lanes throughout the community, installing electric charging stations at public/private facilities, guiding the sound walls project along the 210 Freeway corridor as it enters the design phase, overseeing the Foothill Boulevard Complete Streets Planning Study, resurfacing La Crescenta-Montrose pavements, implementing pedestrian improvements and water capture dry wells, as well as a updating the Safe Routes to School plan.

As with any governing process, there can be inherent problems stemming from its members’ conduct. It’s been my experience that councilmembers lack transparency, communication and active listening. The bylaws are not adhered to consistently and public documents and emails are not shared timely with either its members nor with the community for review and action. To correct an erroneous statement made by a Councilmember, the Council is not “the gatekeeper” nor does it “control the facts.”  

The Council process needs improvements in the protocol for the incoming and existing council members to adequately represent residents’ requests and needs. The governing bylaws should include term limits for executive officer positions and councilmembers to allow new leadership and growth.   

In conclusion, I hope the work established will continue and the future projects/needs from the community are respected and professionally and transparently addressed.

Desiree P. Rabinov
La Crescenta